Self-contained cable reel

ABSTRACT

A self-contained reel unit includes an outer housing having a rotary drum mounted therein. A cable is pulled into the housing and wound upon the drum. A feed screw and cable guide and support member deposits the cable uniformly across the surface of the drum. The feed screw and cable guide reverses to play out the cable as it is unwound from the drum.

United States Patent Boneck 1 June 20, 1972 I541 SELF-CONTAINED CABLEREEL [72] Inventor: Roger L. Boneck, W440, N-SSSO Lilly Road, MenomoneeFalls, Wis. 53051 22 Filed: Sept. 15,1970

2: App]. No.: 72,210

[52] U.S. Cl. ..242/54 R, 242/117, 242/ 158.2 [51] ..B65h 57/28, B65h75/00 [58] Field otSearch ..242/1 17, 54 R, 54 A, 158.2,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,347,490 10/1967 Browning..242/54 Meline et al. ..242/l58.2 X ..242/l58 R ..242/54 R 3,202,3728/1965 2,740,594 4/ 1956 Stevens 2,316,798 4/ l 943 Luebbe PrimaryExaminer-George F. Mautz Attorney-Alter, Weiss and \Vhitesel [57]ABSTRACT A self-contained reel unit includes an outer housing having arotary drum mounted therein. A cable is pulled into the housing andwound upon the drum. A feed screw and cable guide and support memberdeposits the cable uniformly across the surface of the drum. The feedscrew and cable guide reverses to play out the cable as it is unwoundfrom the drum.

4 China, 10 Drawing figures 1 III ,mummrhi PATENTEDJUHZO 12. 2

INVENTOR F166 ROGER BONECK BY w ww ATTO R N E Y5 SELF-CONTAINED CABLEREEL My invention relates to. improvements in cable reels, and moreparticularly to a mechanically actuated reel for winding and releasingthe cable.

Reels, winches, windlasses, and the like, are used for wind ing up andplaying out cables. Usually, there is an exposed shaft or drum on whichthe cable is wound. This may be suitable in many installations where thecable and winch are enclosed within a house, room, or other structure.However, it is not suitable if the winch is exposed under conditionswhere either people or things are liable to be caught into the cable asit is wound on the winch. Accordingly, there is a need for aself-contained winch which is completely enclosed and causes neither asafety nor a cleanliness hazzard.

An object of my invention is to provide a self-contained cable reeldevice that which winds up or plays out a cable, by means of a doubleacting drive.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed, which is provided with an outer housing an inner revolvingdrum, onto which the cable is wound or played out.

Still another object is to provide a device that is designed toaccommodate a screw actuated mechanism for unifonnly distributing thecable in layers onto the revolving drum.

A further object of the invention is to construct a cable reel device soit may be mounted either horizontally or vertically to perform itsfunction.

A still further object is to provide a cable reel device that is totallyenclosed for safety purposes.

In keeping with an aspect of the invention, a cable actuated mechanismmay be used in elevators, hoisting devices, or the like. The cable movesat a predetermined speed while in operation. As it so moves, the cableis pulled into or let out of a cylindrical housing. Inside the housing,it reels over a cable guide and support which lays the cable down in alayered orientation.

Other and further objects of my invention will become more apparent asthe description proceeds, when taken in conjunction with the drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the entire assembleddevice;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device taken at the line 2-2 inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the device taken at the line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the cable support unit, in its relation to thecable drum;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a cable guide and support;

FIG. 6 is a modified type of cable guide and support equipped with aplurality of rollers to guide the cable;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the outside of the end plate supportingthe shafts with the gears mounted thereon;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the inside of the plate shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the inside of the other end plate; and

FIG. 10 is an outside view of the plate shown in FIG. 9.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts and features,throughout the several views. More particularly, the character 10identifies a drum of cylindrical contour having spider mounting means 11at either end thereof. A shaft 12, or in any other convenient andefficient means, passes through a hearing at the center of the spiderII. The shah 12 is joumaled on one end in a bearing 13 which is attachedto an end plate 14 mounted at the end of an outer cylindrical casing 15,by means of screws 16, or the like. The other end of the shaft 12 isjournaled in a bearing 17 attached to another end plate 18, which isalso mounted within the outer casing 15, by means of screws 19, or inany other convenient manner.

A threaded rod, or shaft 20 is mounted paralleled to the axis of thedrum 10 on one end, in a bearing 21 on the plate 18, and the rod 20extends outward beyond a cover plate 24 fastened at 25 to the casing 15.On the other end, shaft 20 is mounted in a bearing 22 on the plate 14.Obviously all anngs may be of any suitable and conventional design. Thethreaded rod 20 is attached to a drive gear 23. This rod 20 is actuatedand revolved by means of a motor M, or any other suitable and reversibledriving means.

The end of the shaft 12, which is supported by the bearing 17 on theplate 18, is equipped with a driven gear 26, in meshing alignment withthe drive gear 23. In this manner, the drum motor M both drives shaft 20and rotates the drum 10 in a direct and fixed ratio, since theperipheral surface of the driven gear 26 is rotated by the drive gear23.

A cable guide and support unit, generally shown as 27, threadedlyengages the rod 20 at 28. This unit consists of a body 29, threadedlydriven by the rotation of the threaded rod 20. The body 29 (see FIG. 4),is equipped with a rolling member (such as a ball bearing) 30, or anyother contact, member for engagement with the surface of the cable drum10. The body 29 rotatably supports a pulley 31 on an axis perpendicularto said feed screws, over which the cable 32 passes as it enters orleaves the somewhat rounded, funnel shaped (FIG. 5) guide 33 on theoutside of the end plate 14. The longitudinal cross section of thepulleyis tangential to the surface of the drum. The guide 33 is attachedto plate 14 by rivets 34. In FIG. 6, I show a cable guide, of modifieddesign, supporting four orthogonally mounted pulleys or rollers 35 formaking contact at 36 with the cable 32 as it enters the unit.

By referring to FIG. 1, I show that end of the cable 32 may be insertedinto an aperture in the drum 10 at 37. The cable 32 is wrapped anddisposed in a layer around the drum 10 as shown at 39. When the rod 20is rotated, the cable guide and support 27 guides the cable 32 inuniformly layered orientation onto the drum 10 (see FIG. I). When therod 20 rotates in a reversed direction, member 27 guides the cable 32,moving it from the drum l0 and outward through the guide 33.

The plates 18 and 24 are shown attached to the outer cylinder 15 and 19and 25 Together, they provide a cover for the gears 23 and 26. In thismanner the entire device is a selfcontained unit. There can not be anyoutside contact with the cable being wound on the drum 10.

Although I have shown a specific construction, many changes may be madewithout efi'ecting the operativeness of the device; therefore, theclaims are to be construed to cover all equivalents which fall withinthe spirit and the scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A self-contained reel unit including an outer housing having a drumrotatably mounted therein,

a feed screw in said housing mounted parallel to the axis of said drum,

cable guide and support means mounted on a body threadedly mounted onsaid feed screw,

said drum and feed screw being geared together to turn as a unit at afixed ratio,

entrance means for threading a cable through an end of said housing andholding said cable parallel to said feed screw and non-contiguous tosaid drum until wound onto said drum,

said guide and support means including at least one pulley thereinmounted on said body to rotate on an axis perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis of said drum and said feed screw,

the longitudinal cross section of said at least one pulley beingtangential to the surface of said drum, and bearing means for slidinglysupporting the said body on the surface of said drum.

2. The unit of claim I wherein said bearing surface is a ball bearingrotatably mounted in said body.

3. The unit of claim 2, wherein said entrance means comprises a roundedfunnel shaped means.

4. The unit of claim 1 wherein said entrance means comprises fourorthogonally mounted pulley wheels.

# i l i t

1. A self-contained reel unit including an outer housing having a drumrotatably mounted therein, a feed screw in said housing mounted parallelto the axis of said drum, cable guide and support means mounted on abody threadedly mounted on said feed screw, said drum and feed screwbeing geared together to turn as a unit at a fixed ratio, entrance meansfor threading a cable through an end of said housing and holding saidcable parallel to said feed screw and non-contiguous to said drum untilwound onto said drum, said guide and support means includIng at leastone pulley therein mounted on said body to rotate on an axisperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said drum and said feed screw,the longitudinal cross section of said at least one pulley beingtangential to the surface of said drum, and bearing means for slidinglysupporting the said body on the surface of said drum.
 2. The unit ofclaim 1 wherein said bearing surface is a ball bearing rotatably mountedin said body.
 3. The unit of claim 2, wherein said entrance meanscomprises a rounded funnel shaped means.
 4. The unit of claim 1 whereinsaid entrance means comprises four orthogonally mounted pulley wheels.